Smyrna man charged with vehicular homicide in death of Dover woman

DOVER — A 40-year-old woman died after being struck by a vehicle in a rear alley on New Castle Avenue early Wednesday morning, Dover Police said.

Gerald Medkeff, 36, of Smyrna, was charged with second-degree vehicular homicide following an incident at approximately 2:22 a.m., authorities said. Moneca Saunders became lodged under his vehicle, police said, and was later pronounced dead after transport by medics to Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital.

According to police, the driver was allegedly in the area to buy drugs when “approached by several people in the area who became disorderly with” him. Mr. Medkeff put his Mazda 3 sedan in reverse to leave, police said, and struck Ms. Saunders. The woman became stuck under the vehicle, and police said the driver allegedly “shifted from reverse to forward at least twice more in an effort to leave but was unsuccessful.”

Dover Fire Department personnel assisted in freeing the woman from underneath the vehicle, police said. It was unknown why she was in the area at the time, authorities said.

Based on officers observations, police said “alcohol is believed to be a factor in the incident.”

Bail information was not immediately available, police said.

Mr. Medkeff was alone in the vehicle at the time, police said. Authorities did not have information on how the incident was reported to police.

Delaware Code defines second-degree vehicular homicide as: (1) While in the course of driving or operating a motor vehicle, the person’s criminally negligent driving or operation of said vehicle causes the death of another person; or

(2) While in the course of driving or operating a motor vehicle, under the influence of alcohol or drugs or with a prohibited alcohol or drug content, as defined by (Delaware Code), the person’s negligent driving or operation of said vehicle causes the death of another person.

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